Flexible fitting for tubes



Patented Mar. 31, 1936 UNITEDr STATES PATENT oEElcE 6Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a flexiblefitting for tubes, and more particularly to a fitting which is adaptedto clamp the iiared end of a tube for connecting the 'l same to someother part.

An object of the inventionis to provide a fitting wherein iiexible partsmake sole contact with the :dared end of the tube for the joining of thesame to the coupling members, and wherein said ilex- 10 ible parts whilegripped by the coupling members and clamping the tube end are capable ofmovement in the region of the clamped ared end of the tube, thuspermitting the tube to flex easily without undue strain on the metal ofthe tube.

l5 In the drawingl Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through afitting embodying the improvements, showing the tube in place with thesections of the flexible member contactingwith the flared end of the 20tube, but before said tube end is clamped to the fitting;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, but showing the coupling members as turned soas to cause the 'flexible parts to grip the iiared end of the tube;

25 Fig. 3 is a view showing the improvement applied to a coupling forjoining the ends of two tubes;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a slightly modied formof clamping means for compressing the iiexible parts for forcing the beaccomplished in any desired way. A flexible f member 3 is then placed inthe tube. This flexible member is in the form of a ring having anannular recess 4 therein, preferably circular in cross section, andleading from said recess is an annular slot which opens at the innerface of the ring midway between the inner and outer faces of the ring.This slot provides opposed faces 5 50 and 6, which are the clampingfaces of the exible parts that contact with the opposite faces of theflared end of the tube. The ring thus formed is placed on the flared endof the tube, and said fiared 'end will extend along .the slot and :jinto the recess 4 at the inner end of the annular slot. This recess 4 isof a. greater diameter than the thickness of the flange.

'The coupling members as shown in Figures 1 and 2, include a male member1 having a thread 8 by which said coupling member may be joined 5 to.any desired part. This male member 1 is provided with fiat portions 9whereby it may be held from turning. It is also provided with aprojecting portion I0, the outer face of which is tapered slightly. Saidcoupling memberis also 10 provided with a projecting portion II, andbtween this projecting portion II andv the portion I0 is a recess I2.The flexible member 3 has the inner face thereof substantially shaped toconform to the outer tapered face of the portion I0. The outer face ofthe flexible member 3 is also tapered to conform to the inner taperedface of the projecting portion II. This iiexible memr 3 is sodimensioned that when initially placed o the projecting portion I0 it tsin a recess 20 I2, but does not quite fill said recess. The male member'I is provided with a thread I3 which is adapted to receive a threadedfemale coupling member I4 having flat sides I5 whereby it may be turned.This female coupling member has an inwardly extending iiange I 6provided with an opening adapted to receive the tube. This opening isconsiderably larger than the tube. 'I'he female coupling member is firstplaced on the tube, and then the end of the tube is flared andtheflexible member 3 attached thereto. The innerv face of the femalecoupling member I4 is tapered slightly as indicated at I1, and theexible member 3V is so dimensioned that when the flange I6 of the female.coupling member is 35 brought into light contact with the outer faceofthe flexible member, there will be a recess I8 between the outer face ofthe flexible member and the inner tapered face I1 of the female couplingmember. 40

After the parts have been assembled as shown In Fig. i, then 'the femalecoupling member I4 is threaded on to the male member as shown in Fig. 2,and this will cause the ange I6 to force the flexible member to thebottom of the recess I2, 45 and also force the opposite faces 5 and 6 ofthe slot in the flexible member into intimate contact with the inner andouter faces of the fiared end of the tube. When the female couplingmember is turned on to the male member to the limit, due to the innerendthereof contacting with the shoulder I9 on said male member, there isstill a recess or space IB, between this iiexible member and the innerwall or tapered face I1 of the female member. The projecting portion I0of55 the male member is brought into contact with the tube so that anyfluid being conveyed through the tube does not contact with the flexiblemember. This, however, is not a clamping contact between the tube andthe male member. The sole clamping contact between the fitting' and thetube is through this flexible memberwhich is forced into rm grippingcontact with the opposite faces of the flared end of the tube. 'I'herecess formed between the coupling members which receives the flexiblemember is so dimensioned that the degree of compression of this flexiblemember and the clamping action thereof on the tube end, is such that thetube may flex easily without undue strain on the metal of the tube.imparted to the tube are absorbed and the breaking of the 'tubeprevented. This easy flexing of the tube is due to the fact that theflexible member in the region of the flared end of the tube is capableof limited movement. The ilexible member will re-shape itself, owing tothe presence of the. recess I8, without releasing in any Way itsgripping hold on Athe flared end of the tube. The purpose of the recess4 at the end of the flare is to prevent abrasion of the flexible member,due to the movement of the end of the tube under vibration.

In Fig. 3 there is shown the application of the invention to the joiningof two pipes so that either pipe may flex inthe coupling. In this formof the invention, there is a. female coupling member 20 with an inwardlyextending retaining flange 2| and an internal thread 22.- 'I'he malemember 23 is threaded to engage this internal .thread on the femalemember, andvis provided with a. shoulder 24 which contacts with ashoulder on the female member. VThe flange 2| of the female member hasan opening therethrough to receive the tube 25. Said opening is largerin diameter than the tube so that the tube may be free from contact withthe metal of the female member. The male member 23 is provided with anopening therethrough to receive Athe tube 26, and this opening is oflarger diameter than the diameter of the tube so as to permit freemovement of the-tube without contact with the metal of the male member23. The tube 25 is flared after it has'been inserted through theopeningv in the female member, and then the llexible member 21 isattached thereto. vThis flexible member is preferably oil rubber, and isring-shaped. It has -an annular recess 28 with a slot leading therefromto the inner face of the ring, and providing opposed clamping faces 29and 30 which are adapted to engage the opposite faces ofthe flared endof the tube. the ared end cess 28. n

After the tube 26 has been inserted in the male member 23, a flexiblering member 3|, preferably of rubber, land similar in construction tothe ring member 21,'is attached to the flange of said tube 25. Thisflexible member 3| is provided with an annular recess 32, and a slothaving opposed clamping faces 33 and 34. Before the male mem'- ber isattached to the female member, a tubular insert 35 of metal is placed inthe female member and in4 engagement with, the flexible The extremeportion of of the tube extends into the remember 21. The male memberisthen threaded into the female member, and the flexible member 3| seatedagainst this insert 35. The insert 35 is provided with a recess 36 whichconforms to the outer end of the `flexible member 3|. vThe male member23 is provided with a recess 31 which receives the outer end of theflexible mem- 'Ihus the vibrations.

, sembling of the parts.

. the recess I8 described in connection with Fig. 1.

'I'he metal insert 35 is of sullicient length so that itextends intoboth tubes and contacts therewith so as to prevent any fluid passingthrough the tubes coming lin contact with the flexible members. Thiscontact, however, between -the insert and the tubes is not a clampingaction joining a tubevto the couplingmembers. The tubes are attached tothe coupling members solely through the clamping. action of the flexiblemembers thereon when the male member is screwed into the female memberto a point limited. by theshoulder 24'. The dimensioning of the recesseswhich house these flexible members is such that there will be a firmclamping of the flared ends of the tubes of these two clamping members,and thus the two tubes are connected the male member 23 are of the samestructure.

.and they are joined by a threaded connection 22 therebetween. The metalinsert is formed differently. 'I'his insert as indicated at 40 has outertapered faces and is of suilcient length so that it extends into the twotubes contacting therewith in the mannervdescribed in connection withthe insert 35. The flexible member 4| which is attached to the tube 26has its inner and outer faces shaped so as to contact with the outerwall of the insert 40 and the inner .wall of the female member,respectively. The sameA is true of the flexible member 42 which-isconnected to the pipe 25. 'Ihe flexible member 4| has a recess 43 andthe flexible member 42 has a recess 44. There are slots leading in fromthese recesses providing clamping faces which` firmly grip the flaredends of the respective tubes. The two flexible members are abutted; butare shaped so as to provide a recess 45. This recess permits of amovement of the material forming the flexible members while said membersare still held in gripping contact with the flared end of the tubes. Itis due to this recess 45 that the tubes may flex easily, causing amovement of the material of the flexible members in the region wheresaid members grip the flared ends of the tubes.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing, the flexible member 3 is shown as formed intwosections 3a and 3b.

I The member is parted along a line which intersects the recess 4. 'Ihisaidsslightly in the as- It is to be understood that the flexible-partswhich engage the flared end of the tube may be parts of -one'integralstructure or parts of two separate members contacting With'each other,and reference to a flexible member or flexible parts throughout thedescription and claims is in- The coupling otherwise is precisely thesame as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

It is obvious that many changes may be made in the shaping of thecoupling members, and also in the shaping of the flexible members whichare attached to the tubes. The essential feahires consist in theutilizing of the flexible member as the sole means for securing themetal tubesto the metal couplings, and the clamping of these flexiblemembers in such a way as to permit the easy flexing of the tubeswhensubjected to vibrations. v

Having thus described the invention, 'what I claim as new and desire'tosecure by Letters Patent. is-

1. A exible iitting for tubes having the end thereof tapered comprisingflexible partsadapted to' contact with the opposite faces of the iiaredend ci. the tube, a metal coupling having a recess adapted to receivesaid exible parts, said coupling being constructed and said recessdimensloned so as to completely house -said flexible parts and preventduid passing through the tube from contacting therewith, means wherebytherecess may be diminished in size and the exible parts forced intoiirm gripping contact with the opposite faces 'of the tube end,said'flexible parts serving as the sole means for connecting the tube tothe metal coupling, said recess and flexible parts being shaped topermit easy iiexing of the tube witbout,re1easing the clamping action ofsaid ilexible parts thereon.

2. A flexible fitting for tubes' including spaced flexible parts adaptedto contact with the opposite faces of the flared end of a tube, metalcoupling. members having therebetween a recess adapted to receive saidexible parts, said recess being dimensioned so that the coupling membersmay be caused to grip said flexible parts and force the same into firmgripping contact with the opposite faces of the-tube end, said exibleparts serving as the sole means for connecting the tube to the couplingmembers, said recess and flexible parts being shaped to permit easyiiexing of the tube withoutreleasing the clamping action of saidiiexible parts thereon one of said coupling members having a projectingportion extending into the tapered end of the tube and con- 3. Aflexible tting for tubes including a ringshaped 'iiexible member havinga groove extending from the inner face of said ring-shaped member intothe body thereof and forming clamping faces adapted to contact with theopposite faces of theiiared end of a tube, metal coupling mem-A bershaving 4therebetweena recess adapted to receive said flexible member,said recess being members, said recess and flexible mexnbel'being shapedto permit easy flexing of the tubes witbout releasing the clampinsaction of said dexlble member thereon one of said coupllng'membershavinsaproiectingportion exteidlng into flexible member` andforcesections lible member into firmV gripping the opposite faces of thetube end, one of said tasting therewith for housing the ilexible parts;5o

the tapered end of the tube and contacting therewith for-housing theexlble member.

4. A flexible iitting for tubes including a ringshaped flexible memberhaving a groove extending from the inner face of said ring-shaped memberinto the body thereof and forming clamping faces adapted to contact withthe opposite faces orme sai-ea end of a tub?, said nexible member havingan annular recess'at the inner end of said groove ,for housing Itheouter end of!4 the flared portion of the tube, metal coupling membershaving therebetween a recess adapted to receive said exible member, saidrecess being dimensioned so that the coupling members may be caused togrip said flexible member and force sections of said flexible memberinto firm gripping' contact with the opposite faces of the tube end,said flexible member serving as the sole means for connecting the tubeto the coupling members, said recess and flexible member being shaped topermit easy exing of the tubes without releasing the clamping action ofsaid flexible member thereon one of said coupling members having aprojecting portion extending'into the tapered end of the tube andcontacting' therewith for housing the flexible member. 5. A flexiblefitting for tubes including a ilexible member having spaced sectionsadapted to contact with the opposite faces of the flared end of a tube,metal coupling members having therebetween a recess adapted to receivesaid exible member. said recess being dimensioned so that the couplingmembers may be caused to grip said of said flexcontact with couplingmembers having a projecting portion r extending into the tube andcontacting therewith for housing the exible member, said ilexiblemember'serving as the sole means for connecting thetube to the couplingmembers, said recess and flexible member being shaped to per- 'mit easyexinghof the tube without releasing theclamping action of said flexiblemember thereon.

6. A flexible fitting for tubes including a nexible member for eachtube, said flexible members having spaced sections adapted to contactwith the opposite facu of the flared end of the tube with which it isassociated, metal coupling members having therebetween a recess adaptedto receive both of said flexible members for joining and making contacttherewith for housing and protecting the flexible members, said recessbeing dimensioned so that the coupling members may be caused to gripsaid flexible members and force the sections thereof into drm grippingcontact with the opposite faces of the-end with which the'ilexiblemembers are associated, said flexible members servingas the sole meansfor connecting the tubes to the coupling members. said recess saidilexiblemembers being shaped to permit easy flexing ofeither tubewithout releasing the clamping action of said flexible members ARTHURLPARSIR.

